The Patterson Foundation Contributes Recovery Funds

September 15, 2021 – Sarasota

The Patterson Foundation has committed a combined $500,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) following the recent earthquake in Haiti and the landfall of Hurricane Ida in the United States. The combined gift includes $250,000 to CDP’s Haiti Earthquake Recovery Fund and $250,000 to its Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund for the medium- and long-term recovery needs of people and communities affected by each disaster.

On Aug. 14, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated southwest Haiti, closely followed by heavy rains from Tropical Depression Grace. These events have led to the deaths of thousands of Haitians, destroyed more than 50,000 homes and left nearly 650,000 people in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. CDP’s Haiti Earthquake Recovery Fund will support families and communities affected by these events through targeted grantmaking and collaboration with local partners that ensures the highest priorities are identified. With an intersectional equity lens and an emphasis on medium- and long-term recovery, CDP works to identify gaps in recovery funding to help direct financial and technical support where it is needed most.

Later in August, on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm. While the intense winds slowly faded, multiple states were still inundated with torrential rainfall, causing severe flooding from the sunbelt to New York. An estimated 1.1 million people, including the entire city of New Orleans, were left without power — further taxing a hospital system already stressed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. CDP’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund was established prior to this storm in preparation for a busy hurricane season with an expectation of two to four major hurricanes in 2021. This fund focuses on medium- and long-term recovery for all geographic areas impacted by Atlantic hurricanes such as Ida. CDP will utilize donations to support programs and organizations that are rebuilding homes and livelihoods, meeting the needs of populations marginalized by systemic inequities, providing mental health services and tackling other urgent challenges that arise. 

“The challenging events and circumstances of the past year and a half have been difficult for all of us, but helping communities and families recover from devastating disasters deserves support from all of us,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s work with funders and nonprofits enables them to allocate resources to reliable organizations that can efficiently assist communities. These crucial efforts rely on the support of private philanthropy now more than ever, and we hope that others turn to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to strengthen the impact of their funding.”

CDP is the only full-time national resource dedicated to helping donors maximize their impact by making more intentional giving decisions in response to domestic and international disasters. CDP’s expertise and tangible impact on communities worldwide have helped it evolve into a trusted resource for both major philanthropists and grassroots donors in over a decade of work. Additionally, CDP consults with foundations and corporations on disaster-related giving strategies that best align with their missions. 

When a disaster strikes, donors often focus on immediate support and funding for food, water, shelter, medical care and other immediate needs. Once news coverage begins to shift away from the disaster, there tends to be a struggle to financially help families, individuals and communities recover their physical, social, economic, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being long after the catastrophe. The team at CDP educates the philanthropic community and provides giving opportunities that maximize donor impact toward sustained recovery efforts in the months and years following a disaster. 

“No one can deny that the demands on everyone – philanthropy, front-line responders and communities – these past 18 months has been high. Regretfully, the pace is likely to continue, with disasters from natural hazards layering on top of the pandemic,” said Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. “Investing now will aid communities from falling further behind and on the long road to recovery ahead.”

Since 2010, CDP has leveraged the power of philanthropy to utilize resources that strengthen communities recovering from disasters while equipping them for future challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricane Harvey, the California wildfires and Haiti’s 2010 earthquake are some of the more notable disasters to which CDP has responded. In 2020, CNN honored the organization as one of eight featured nonprofits for the network’s 14th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute ceremony. 

The Patterson Foundation has been a long-time supporter of CDP and its mission to strengthen communities recovering from disasters. Since 2013, The Patterson Foundation has given more than $5 million total to CDP toward operations and recovery efforts following several Atlantic hurricanes and other disasters around the world.
To donate to these funds or learn more about CDP, please visit disasterphilanthropy.org. Visit thepattersonfoundation.org to learn more about The Patterson Foundation.